Learning to trust again
by Brianna-MacLeod
Summary: Brianna returns to Seacouver after a bad marriage and begins to fall for Richie, but can she learn to trust men again?


Learning to trust again.  
  
This an AU Where Tessa is alive, but Richie is Immortal.  
  
Disclaimer, I do not own the characters, I only own Brianna, Josh, Carly, and Adam. And a few other's I might add in.  
  
"Mommy? How long til we get to Seacover?" Carly asked me for the millionth time as we'd been on the road for four days "It's Seacouver honey, and we'll be there soon." I said.  
  
As we pulled to a rest area I took Carly and Adam to the bathroom and reflected on the last few months.  
  
Flashback Three Months Ago:  
  
"You're nothing without me Brianna, and you never will be." Josh, my ex-husband told me that day in court as I won custody of my four year old daughter Carly and my one year old son Adam. He grabbed me and I yanked my arm away from him, he was pulled away by his lawyer.  
  
"You're wrong Josh, I've always been somebody, you're the one who's nobody." I said as I walked out of the New York Courtroom.  
  
Then I got a job teaching at Eleanor Roosevelt Elementary School in Seacouver Washington State after putting in an application, my family was from Seacouver and I wanted to go home.  
  
End Of Flashback:  
  
We got back on the road after I changed Adam's diaper. We pulled into Seacouver and I pulled up to MacLeod Antiques to ask for directions to the house I'd rented. I went looking for Duncan, who I hadn't seen in five years.  
  
Even though I was from Seacouver it had been a long time since I'd been home.  
  
A man with red curly hair was inside.  
  
"Excuse me, could you tell me how to get to Roberts Lane?" I asked. "Sure thing, you take a left on main street, follow the light until you reach Elwood Circle, and take a right, Roberts Lane is on the left." He said. "Thank you Mister?" I didn't know his name. "Ryan, Richie Ryan." He said.  
  
"I'm Brianna Matthews," I told him. "Welcome to Seacouver." He said.  
  
I got back in the car and used the directions he gave me, I found the street easily.  
  
We pulled in and got out. "Carly, don't go into the street!" I called. "I won't mommy!" She called back. I got Adam out of the car and went inside, the movers had thankfully put the furniture in the right places thanks to my mother's guidance.   
  
After a couple hours of unpacking and putting everything away I took the kids into town in search of a place to eat. I should have went to my mother's but I felt like being alone for the night. I found a pizzaria and went in. I ordered extra cheese for Carly and Adam and got myself fettucine alfredo. As we ate I saw Richie walk in with a man with long brown hair and a blonde woman.   
  
"Duncan!" I called when I saw it was him. "Brianna?" He said and walked over. "It's good to see you again." I said and hugged him. "Tessa?" I said looking at her. "Little Brianna." She said hugging me. "You know her?" Richie said. "Know her, she used to work in the store, before she married Josh Matthews." Duncan said. "A very stupid move on my part." I said with a hint of anger in my voice.  
  
"Mommy, who are they?" Carly asked. "Carly, this is Duncan MacLeod an old friend of mommy's, that's Tessa Noel Duncan's girlfriend, and that's Richie Ryan, he works in Mr. Duncan's store." I said. "Mr. Duncan?" Richie said suppressing a laugh. "It's the polite thing for her to call him." I said giving him a look.   
  
"Duncan, Tessa, Richie, this is my daughter Carly, and my son Adam." I said. "Lord, she looks just Josh." Duncan said. "That she does." I said trying to laugh. "And Adam looks just like you Petite." Tessa said. "Tessa, I'm hardly a Petite anymore." I said laughing. "I've known you for ten years, I still think of you as the small girl who worked for us." She said laughing.   
  
"Well, we'll let you eat your dinner in peace, call me if you need anything." Duncan said and kissed my cheek. "I will, thanks." I said and glanced at Richie who was listening intently to something Carly was telling him.  
  
When we got home I bathed them both and put them to bed. All the while I was thinking about the blue eyed hunk I'd just eaten dinner with.  
  
Just then the phone rang. "Hello?" I said. "Brianna, it's Richie." He said. "How did you get my number?" I asked. "Carly told me." He said and I laughed. "I taught it to her so if she ever needed to she could give it to the police." I explained. "I was wondering, if you were free for lunch tomorrow?" He asked.   
  
"Sorry Richie, but I'm not interested in dating right now." I said "I understand, some other time maybe?" He asked. "Maybe." I said and said goodbye.  
  
That night my dreams were about Richie, try as I might I couldn't get him out of my mind.  
  
AN: I want to say thank you to Richiefic and Southernchickie for their help in ideas and just being there for me to talk to. 


End file.
